Sheet-feeding machine.



R. A. FREEMAN. SHEET F'EEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 8. 1910.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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ATTORNEYS WITNEssEs Mw@ R. A. FREEMAN.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. |910.

Patented oct. 12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOH WITNESSES:

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1910.

Patented 001. '12, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES :4v i I INVENTOR WW www ATTORNEYS RUFUS A. FREEMAN, OF'FLUSHING, YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 THE AUTOPRESS i COMPANY, A. CORPORATIDN 0F NEW YORK.

SHEET-Fiamme MACHINE.

feeding sheets to printing presses and the like. l

Objects of the invention are to provide mechanism whereby the sheets may be sep.

arated either automatically or by hand, the sheets in either case being registered automatically preparatory to passing to the printing mechanism, whereby the machine is given an exceedingly wide field of usefulness. For example, it has been found impracticable to feed all kinds of paper automatically, owing chiefly to difliculty in separating the sheets. With such a mechanism as this, the materials which cannot be separated automatically may yet be fed rapidly and accurately by hand separation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide automatic and hand separating devices, either of which may be easily and rapidly put in operative relation with the forwarding, registering and printing devices as desired; to provide for accurate positioning of the hand separated sheets preparatory to their being forwarded to and registered for the printing devices; to provide for timing the hand separated sheets preparatory to their being forwarded for registering and printing; to provide an automatic-separating structure adapted to be moved into .position to feedV sheets automatically to the forwarding means or to serve as a support for the hand separating means when the latter is so used; to provide devices which will prevent bounding or other undesirable movement of the forwarded sheet, while permitting free movement of the sheet by the registering devices preparatory to its being'taken by the printing or like devices.

hese and other objects of the invention will in part beobvious and will in part be set forth hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

constructions, arrangements, combinations,A

'and improvements, herein shown and described.

v Specification of ,Letters Patent.

Patented (1ct. 12,1915.

i pplication filed October 8, 1910. Serial N o. 585,955.

The accompanying drawings, which are referred to herein and form a partl hereof, illustrate one' embodiment ofthe invention, the same serving in connection with the description hereinl to explain the principles thereof.

Of the-drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and showing the automatic sheet separating mechanism in operative position; Fig. 2 is .a view corresponding to Fig. 1, upon a reduced scale, showing the hand separating means in operative position; Fig. 3 is a top plan corresponding to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail elevation with parts in section of the sheet registering and forwarding means; and Fig. 5 is a'detail elevation, the parts in section of certain of the sheet forwarding devices.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

illustrating by way of example one embodi-l v ment of the invention, a support or frame 1 is provided, of any suitable form, and supported thereon is an automatic sheet separating mechanism 2. This mechanism is 'not illustrated in detail as the specific form No. 560,572, filed May 11, 1910, is used, thel Asame being indicated in the drawings of this application.

The automatic sheet f separating mechanism 2 rests upon the upper surfaces i at each side of the frame 1 when in operative relation with the sheet forwarding devices. Means are provided whereby said mechanism may be moved out of operative position relatively tothe sheet forwarding devices to permit of the sheets being separated by hand and supplied to the sheet forwarding means. 1n the present embodiment, lugs 5 are ixed to each side of the automatic separating mechanism 2. Each of said lugs 5 has an outwardly extending portion 6 and a downwardly extending portion 7 which is pivotally connected by a bolt 11 to a lug 10 extending from the frame 1. The automatic separating mechanism 2 is thus permitted to be swung about'the pivots 11 out vof its operative position, as shown in Fig. 1 to an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2. When in this position, the portions 6 of the lugs 5 rest upon the bearing-surfaces l16 .of brackets 15 fixed at either side on the frame 1. j

Means whereby the sheets may be separated by hand and fed one by one to thesheet forwarding means are provided, and the embodied form thereof comprises a feed board 20, shown in Figs. 2 and 4 in opera tive position relatively to the sheet forwarding means. Said feed board is supported upon the automatic separating mechanism 2 when the latter is in the inoperative position, being, as shown, positioned' upon the dowel pins 21 at the rearwith its forward end 22 resting vupon the transverse support 23 adjacent to the driven roller 100 and the drop rollers 102 and 103 forming a part of the sheet forwarding mechanism, as shown in Fig. 4.

Means are provided for keeping the surface of the sheet stack, which is mounted in the frame 1 below the automatic separating mechanism lat the proper level for separating and feeding off the sheets, and the form thereof herein shown comprises a ratchet wheel carried upon the frame 1 and having a pinion 31 fixed to rotate therewith and engaging afgear 32, which in turn is suit ably connected to the pile by suitable means not shown. y

Coperating with the ratchet wheel 30 is a check pawl 33 and an actuating pawl 35 pivoted to a head 36 carried on a reciprocating rod 37, guided in a lug 38 fixed upon the machine frame. Fixed to the head 36 is a lug 40. The other end of therod 37 is in the form of a yoke 42 which straddles a shaft 43, and is provided with a cam roll 44 riding upon a cam 45 fixed on the shaft 43. The cam roll 44 is held to the cam 45 by a spring 46, coiled about the rod 37 ybetween the lug 38 and an adjustable collar 47 fixed on the rod 37. Pivotally mounted upon the lug 38 is a bell crank lever having one arm 50 located just in the rear of the projection 40, and having the other arm 51 pivotally connected to a link 52. The link 52 has, at its other end, a lpin and slot connection 53 with a lever 54. The lever 54-'has a cam roll 55 in operative relation with a cam 56 upon the shaft 43. Alsopivoted ,to the lever arm 51 is a forked arm 60 fixed to a shaft 61. Fixed also to said shaft 61 is an arm 62, to which arm is connected a finger 63 adapted to move into and out of contact with the top of the sheetl stack beneath the automatic separator 2. The pin and slot connection permits the finger 63 to regulate the swing of the lever arm 50, so that when the top `of the sheet stack is too low the arm 50 is swung clear of the lug 40, thus permitting the rcd 37 and pawl 35 lto move backwardlyf and then by engagement with the ratchet wheel 30. feed up the sheet stack. By lreason of the fork at the end of the arm 60, as shown in Fig. 2, the automatic separator through an aperture 71 in the side thereof.

The link is pivoted to one end of a lever 72 fulcrumed on the machine frame, the other end of said lever 72 connecting with a pivoted link 73, which is actuated by an eccentric 74 on the shaft 43, see Fig. 3. The link 70' is detachabiy connected to the lever 72, as bythe hook 75 to permit the automaticseparator tobe swung over into the position shown in Fig.- 2.

Gages are provided for registering and timing the sheets as they pass to the sheet forwarding devices preparatory to being forwarded thereby. These front gages and 81 are shown fixed to a shaft 82 to rock therewith. The shaft 82 is carried in lugs 83 and 84 mounted upon the frame members 85 and 86 respectively, of the rforwarding mechanism. See Fig. 3. The gages 80 and 81 are adjustable longitudinally and angularly on the shaft 82 by suitable means, such as set screws 91and 92. Tongues 93 and 94 extend outwardly from the cross piece 23 in line with each gage onto which tongues the corresponding gages drop in position to regi ister the sheet. The tongues and gages are When the automatic separator lis used, the

gages 80 and 81 may be turned angularl-y about their shaft and fastened in inoperative positions. The parts are so shown in Fig. 1.

The roller 100 is located beneath the path of the sheets at the receiving end of the sheet forwarding devices, said roll being driven byv a train of gears l101 connecting to the shaft 43. The drop rollers 102 and 103 cooperate with the driven roller 100, or with tapes carried thereby, to start the separated sheets forward. Said drop rollers are carried, respectively, by arms 104 and 105 fixed to a shaft 106, which shaft is carried in lugs 107 and 108 on the machine frame. This shaft is xed to and operated by the arm 54 iso respect to the registering and printing devices. ln the present embodiment, av finger 120 is fixed to the shaft 82 by suitable means such as a set screw 121. A spring 122 acts upon the finger 120 to press the gages 80 and 81 down upon the tongues 93 4and 94.- Fixed to rock with the shaft 106 is a'fi'nger 123, which is connected tothe shaft by a set screw 124. r1`he end 125 ofthe finger 123 bears on the nger 120 so that when the cam 56 rocks the arm 54 to raise the drop rollers 102 and 103, the finger 123 will rock upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4

.to that shown in Fig. 2, permitting the spring 122 to rock the shaft 82 and thus bring the gages and'81 down into operative position. When the cam 56 causes the drop rollers 102 and -103 tol drop down upon the roller 100, or the tapes 130 and 131 to forward the sheet, the inger123 will contact with the finger 120, and rock it downwardly, referred to Fig. 4, and lift the gages 80 and 81 as shown in Fig. 4, to permit the forwarding of the sheets.

rfapes 130 and 131 are shown running over the roller 100 and passing alsoover rollers 132 and 133 near the other -end of the sheet.

forwarding devices. In the present embodiment, the droprollers are shown dropping onto these tapes to forward the sheet. Suitable devices are provided for directing the sheets to the positively acting forwarding devices. For this purpose tw fingers 135V and 136 are carried upon the shaft 106 and extending forward past the' drop rolls.

Means vare provided for preventing the forwarding of more than one sheet at a time.

rllhe embodied form of such means .comprises a bar 14'0 having one end thereof loosely supported from' the shaft 82 by means of a piece.141 attached -to one end of the bar 140-and encircling/the shaft 82.

Saidpbar 140 extends above and longitudinally of -the path of the sheets. 142 and 143 maintain the bar 140 .inposi- 4tion longitudinally of the- Vshaft 82. Be-

neath the bar 140H, and fixed thereto, is a spring 144, curved downwardly toward the path of the sheets. A screw 1'45 threaded in the bar 140 bears against the spring 144 to regulate the space between the spring and the table 146 along which the sheets travel, so as to permit the ready passage` of a single sheet, but if vmore than one sheet should be separated and forwarded at a time, when they come in contact with the spring 144, they are stopped. The resulting absence of a sheet in position to be taken by the press, calls the automatic throw off f 4stopping mechanism for the press.

is herein shown, it comprises a feeler 210 pivotally. mounted onv a shaft 184, with one end resting on a support nefar thel frontedge of the sheet when at the front gages 190 vand The opposite end of said feeler 210 is in line with a groove 211v in a slidable rod 212. Said slidable rod is impelled in one directiomby a spring 213 but is normally' restrained from such sliding movement by a cam (not shown); Said rod 212 at one end, coperates with an arm' 214 fixed to a shaft 215 which connects to a suitable When the sheet is forwarded to the front stops 190 and 191,-it passes beneath the lever 210 and rocks it so that its end enters the groove 211 inthe slidable rod 212. The restraining cam then ceases to act for a brief interval. rIhe feeler 210, however2 prevents the rod 212 lfrom sliding. 1f, however, there is no sheet in position, the feeler 210 will not be rocked into the groove 211, and the rod 212 will be free to slide under the impulsion of its spring 213 and stop the ress.

Suitable devices Aare also provided for keeping the sheets iii contact with the tapes A 130 and'131 in order that they may be forwarded with accuracy and uniformity. The

embodied form thereof comprises rollers 150 and 155 adapted torest on the tapes 130 and 131. Said rollers are mounted upon arms 151 and 156 carried on a shaft 152 journaled ,in a block 153 carried upon the rod 140. The block 153 is also slidable along the rod 140 and may be fixed in'position thereon by a set screw 154. Other devicesfor holding thev sheets tothe tapes are provided comprising balls 160, also resting on the tapes. Said balls are carried in 163 journaled in a block 164. The block 164 is also slidable along the rod 140 and maybe clamped in position thereon bythe screw 165.

, A suitable sideregistering device is provided. The embodied form thereof comprising thel sheet engaging member 220 (see Fig. 3), which pushes the sheet to the proper sidewise position prior to its being .apertured plates 161 and 167 fixed to arms 162 and 168, which are connected to' a shaft seized by the press grippers. Said engaging member is mounted on a slidable bar 221, which is engaged and actuated by a lever 222, pivoted at 223.V The other 'end of said'y lever 222 has a cam roll 224 in operative relation' with a cam 225 which gives the requisite movement to said side registering device. i The mechanism is arranged so that, when the sheet is against the front gages 190 and 191, the tail of the sheet is just clear of the rollersand 155. r1`he balls 160 and 166` bear on the surface of the fsheet and prevent rebound thereof from the front the path of travel of the sheets for prevent- ,suring their proper feed to the registering surfaceson the front gagespreparatory to,4

-down into registering position.

ing the'sheets flying upwardly and also astheir delivery to the press. The fingers 180 are carried on a rod 181l supported in lugs 182 and 183fon the frame.

The front gages 190 and '191 are fixed to the shaft 184 to rock therewith, but are adjusted longitudinally and angularly of the shaft by means of setscrews 192 and 193 respectively. The shaft 184 is shown journaled in lugs 194 and 195 carried 4on the frame. Fixed to an end of the shaft 184 is an arm 196 carrying a cam roll 197. In operative relation with said cam roll is a lever 198 pivoted on the machine frame and havand vacting betweenL-a collar 206- upon the shaft and a collar,207 connected to the lug 194 acts to bring the front gages 190 and 191 A spring `208 acts to hold thellever 198 toits cam 200. An impression cylinder 201, shown only partially inthe drawings, is provided with grippers 202 for taking the sheet after it has been registered by the front gages 190 and 191.

The operation of the herein described mechanism will be clearly understood from the descriptions of operations already given in connection with the various groups of mechanism. It will be understood further that a machine has beensprovided which realizes the objects of invention and the advantages herein set forth, together with other objects and advantages.

`The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown and described, but many modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim: 1. A sheet feeding machine including in combination, sheet forwarding means, automatic sheet separating means, comprising separating` devices and a' supporting structure therefor, a frame, pivotal connections between said frame and said supporting structure of the sheet separating means, whereby said separating means may be swung into and out of position to deliver the separated sheets to said sheetforwarding means, and a hand feed board for deliver- `ing sheets to said sheet forwardingv means lwhen said automatic sheet separating means is out of said delivering position, said supporting structure serving as a support for said feed board.

2. A sheet feeding machine including in combination, sheet forwarding means, automatic sheet separating means comprising separating devices and a supporting structure therefor, a frame, pivotal connections between said frame and said supporting structure, whereby said supporting structure may be swung toward said sheet forwarding 'devices .to bring the delivering end of said sheet separating means into position to ldeliver the separated sheets thereto, or said supportingstructure, may be swung away from said sheet forwarding devices so as to project 'from said frame away from said sheet forwarding devices to serve as a support for a hand feed board in position to deliver sheets to said sheet forwarding devices.

lIn testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. s

RUFUS A.v FREEMAN.

Witnesses: I I

R. R. MUnPHY, EDWARD W. GRoTz. 

